BHA's new chief executive Paul Bittar has been quick to get into his stride

First impressions are lasting, so Paul Bittar has every right to believe he
can make a success of his new role as chief executive of the British
Horseracing Authority, if his first week in the job is anything to go by.

Bittar, 42, has performed well, moving swiftly to meet as many faces in as many different corners of the sport as possible. His easy-going style was impressive and he looked comfortable at Ascot on Saturday. Crucially, he also displayed a grasp of the key issues in the sport, despite being only a few days at the helm.

He says that his top priorities are to find a solution to the whip issue, ideally before the Cheltenham Festival, and to resolve racing’s funding problems.

Nic Coward, his predecessor, was hardly ever seen on a racecourse – hence his nickname 'The Ghost’ – but Bittar will adopt a very different approach. “In Australia, I went racing between four and six times a month. It was no hardship. I love it, and I hope to go racing a lot here. My wife and son are not due here for a couple of months, so that will give me a chance to get around and meet everybody,” he said.

This is Bittar’s third stint working in the UK. “After my first day[at the BHA], I phoned my wife and said: 'I remember now why I love London so much. It has such energy’. It’s a great place to live and work.”